Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"...correct. and what do we say when our actions upset someone?" "hoes mad." "no—" "jisoo, please. i know we say sorry; i'm not five."
. . .well yeah, here they were. therapy. just like every other friday.
aera wasn't against it; talking to jisoo was alright. being a good listener and offering advice was her job, after all. but sometimes, aera felt like jisoo just didn't quite understand her. there was a depth to her feelings that seemed to elude jisoo's grasp, like trying to catch smoke with bare hands, slipping through her fingers no matter how hard she tried.
"aera, the thing is, you need to learn how to apologize to people" jisoo said gently, her tone steady yet firm. aera could sense the sincerity behind her words, but it only frustrated her further.
"jisoo, what for? nobody has ever apologized to me." aera defended herself, her voice tinged with bitterness as she crossed her arms tightly, the muscles in her shoulders clenching. the memory of past hurts flooded her mind, a reminder of all the times she'd been wronged.
she sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips despite the heaviness of the conversation. "darling, trust me, i know. but taking it out on the ones that surround you has become your coping mechanism; you're aware of that, right?" aera nodded slowly, feeling a flicker of regret ignite in her chest. now she understood where jisoo was trying to go with this, and the realization only deepened her sense of unease.
"please know that i'm not trying to guilt-trip you or blame you, but sometimes, even if you don't intend to, you might end up hurting the ones you love. that is why it's important to say sorry; you'd be surprised by how much power words have."
aera chuckled, the sound void of amusement. right. as if words were ever going to be enough to make up for what they did to her. words had been wielded against her like weapons, leaving scars that no amount of talking could heal. they made her miserable, and the thought hung heavy in the air between them.
"right, sorry the magic eraser."
"then teach them how to use that word,it is so much more than a magic eraser" jisoo insisted, her gaze unwavering as aera sighed deeply, pinching the skin of her hand between her fingers, trying to ground herself against the swirl of emotions.
"they don't deserve to hear them" aera mumbled, bitterness dripping from her voice, a familiar anger bubbling beneath the surface. she couldn't shake off the memories of betrayal, of people who had walked away without a second thought, leaving her to pick up the pieces alone.
"my dear, you cannot keep living in the past," jisoo said, her voice steady but kind.
"i'm not living in the fucking past," aera shot back, raising her voice and banging her hand on the table between them. she felt a surge of frustration, but jisoo remained calm and collected, just like she always did, waiting for aera to vent.
